British population set to rocket

The British population will rise by a third in the lifetime of today’s children, it is predicted. Immigration and longer lifespan mean there could be 81m people jostling for space by the year 2074.

“Quite a lot of the population increase is due to the fact that migrants are younger than the average population and tend to have more children per head,” says Robert Rowthorn, professor of economics at Cambridge University. “It is not easy to see how the southeast – which is where most immigrants settle, because that is where the jobs are – will be able to cope with so large an additional population.”

Rowthorn also said the public had been misled on the economic benefits of immigration. “To those who are competing with immigrants for jobs, the effect of immigration is going to be largely negative,” he said. “The most affected are likely to be previous immigrants, many of whom belong to ethnic minorities.” He called for a proper, detailed debate.

MPs soak up £88m

Our MPs claimed £88m on expenses last year. The 646 members of the Commons claimed £136,000 on average to cover staff salaries, travel allowances, second home allowances and office costs.

The figure was hailed by Liberal Democrat Nick Harvey, a spokesman for the members estimate committee, as “excellent value for money”. But Matthew Elliott of the Taxpayers’ Alliance pressure group said: “No wonder voters have little respect for politicians when they see so many MPs with their snouts in the trough.”

Shahid Malik, Labour MP for Dewsbury, headed the list by claiming £185,421, while Philip Hollobone, Tory MP for Kettering, managed to get by on just £44,551.

They should make the most of it while they can: a study showed last week that MPs who lose their seats often struggle to find work in the real world. One former member told researchers from Leeds University: “It’s a hard, cold, unforgiving world outside Westminster.”

Abortion limit battle

There is no evidence to suggest that the 24-week limit on abortions should be lowered, said Dawn Primarolo, the health minister. Supporters and opponents of abortion are expected to use debate on the Human Tissues and Embryos Bill to amend the 1967 Abortion Act, which became law 40 years ago this weekend.

But the minister, giving evidence to a select committee considering the new bill, said a foetus had no chance of survival at 21 weeks, 1% at 22 weeks, and 11% at 23 weeks: “The consensus of the scientific information is still clear and that medical advice is still clear with regard to survival rates under 24 weeks.”

Lord Steel, who as Liberal MP David Steel was sponsor of the 1967 act, said that abortion is now being used as a contraception in Britain, where 200,000 abortions were carried out last year. “Everybody can agree that there are too many abortions,” he said.

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